Annan Athletic v Clyde

Recap

Clyde shared a draw with fellow Ladbrokes League 2 promotion hopefuls Annan Athletic at Galabank today, after a superb second half comeback by The Bully Wee.

Barry Ferguson made two changes to the team following Tuesday night’s defeat to East Stirlingshire, with Marvin Andrews and Mark McLaughlin replacing Michael Bolochoweckyj and Paul Slane.

Clyde competed well during the early stages, without making too much of an impact on the Annan goal, with a long-range Sean Higgins effort and a David Marsh header being the closest attempts to opening the scoring.

However, it was the home side that took the first half initiative with two goals that were soft from a Clyde point of view. Both were scored by Josh Todd; his first after getting the better of Mark McLaughlin and placing a shot into the bottom corner and his second after Ross Millen was caught in midfield and he was able to find the space to beat Marc Waters.

As The Bully Wee looked to get back into the match after the half-time break, Marsh had another chance with his head but he couldn’t quite get the ball on target.

After 60 minutes, the lifeline arrived following some heavy pressure on the home defence, as Scott Linton’s floated cross to the back post was nodded in by Higgins.

The action in the home penalty area continued moments later as a combination of Andrews and McLaughlin forced a crossed ball back towards goal and, after Higgins appeared to be pulled back, Chris Smith agonisingly missed from two yards out.

The equaliser soon came though, with Scott McLaughlin firing home a loose ball as the Annan defence struggled to cope with the Clyde onslaught.

A dramatic 12 minute period was then completed as Higgins pressurised Kevin Nicoll into a mistake which led to Marsh’s shot being blocked in front of goal, but Higgins managed to get back on the ball and he coolly slotted it past Blair Currie to the delight of the travelling support behind the goal.

The forward then came close to getting a hat-trick, but his shot from a tight angle was well saved by Currie at his near post.

The Galabankies had rarely threatened in the second half, but substitute Peter Weatherson was grateful to be on the pitch when the referee awarded Annan a free-kick 25 yards from goal. With five minutes left to play, Weatherson stepped up to put a trademark shot over the wall and into the corner of Waters’ goal.

In injury time, as both sides continued to go for a win, a Clyde breakaway looked as though it might bring a winning goal, but the final effort by Linton was comfortably held by the home ‘keeper.